Shanelle Haughton

NOAA-EPP LMRCSC Doctoral Fellow 
Ph.D., Marine, Estuarine & Environmental Science
University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Shanelle Haughton is a Ph.D. student in the Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences graduate program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Shanelle graduated from the University of Saint Joseph in 2016 with a B.S. degree in biology. She joined the LMRCSC in Fall 2018 under the advisement of Dr. Joseph Pitula. Shanelle’s research interests include molecular biology, genetics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics. Her current research is evaluating the physiological and immune responses of Tanner crabs to Hematodinium infection using tools like immunological assays, gene expression analysis, and bioinformatics. In 2022, Shanelle became part of the first class of EPP/MSI Graduate Research Fellows. She served her fellowship in Seattle, WA.

Research Theme: Healthy Habitats

NOAA LMRCSC Fellows attain the NOAA Core Competencies detailed in this rubric.


NERTO Project Title:  Understanding Hematodinium sp. in Alaskan crabs: new hosts, improved detection and health effects in a changing ocean

NOAA Mentor: Dr. Pamela Jensen, NOAA AFSC, Seattle, WA

Academic Advisor: Dr. Ali Ishaque


Publications/Presentations

  1. Haughton, S., Jensen, P. Pitula, J. (February 2022) “Evaluating Physiological and Immune Responses of Tanner Crab (Chionoecetes Bairdi) to Hematodinium sp. Infection”. I was invited to speak at my alma mater (University of Saint Joseph) during the IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast event (a global networking event).
  2. Haughton, S. (April 2020) “Evaluating physiological and immune responses of Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) to Hematodinium sp. infection”. At the LMRCSC 2020 Virtual Science Meeting I gave a pre-recorded presentation on phase 1 of my research, as well as future research plans.
  3. Haughton, S. Jensen, P. Pitula, J. (September 2020) ” Evaluating Physiological and Immune Response of Tanner Crab (Chionoecetes Bairdi) to Hematodinium sp. Infection”. At the AFS 2020 Virtual Meeting, I presented a poster virtually on phase 1 of my research, as well as future research plans.

NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center
University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Lead Institution)
(410) 651-7870
Award numbers: FY 2021 Award #NA21SEC4810005
Funding Agency: NOAA Educational Partnership Program with Minority-Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI)

Scroll to Top